$43,000
Rent
$1,530
Live in Upper NW

$95K. One income. I SAH.
Live in Bethesda, just outside the beltway. House $650K. Mortgage $2100. We made a killing off our first townhouse and that is how we swung this house.
Unfortunately, our family has outgrown it and we are now getting ready to move further out for more space.

70k in Arlington (dual income)
Rent, saving for a home
$1,150

I'm on a career ladder, so hopefully in two years HHI will become cross the 100k threshold.

Anonymous wrote:80K in Gaithersburg
Own - $1400 mortgage
Bought house for 290K but mortgage is only 240K (had down payment from sale of house bought before the housing bubble).

This is one income (single parent) and childcare costs are currently $1000/month.

Can you specify if this is one income or two incomes? I think it much easier to live on $100k or less if this is one income and a SAHP. The challenge is the combination of both housing and child care expenses on that salary.

We have combined HHI of about $140k. With monthly mortgage payment of $2k and $2500 for child care, we are ok, but budget is tight every month.

Anonymous wrote:For those of us in this category, do you feel poor?

I make under 70K, but I don't feel poor at all. I feel like an average American. I can't at all relate to people who max retirement and fund college funds yet call themselves poor.

I know I am not poor. But it can occasionally feel that way when you see how some of DC lives/talks/buys....

80K in Gaithersburg
Own - $1400 mortgage
Bought house for 290K but mortgage is only 240K (had down payment from sale of house bought before the housing bubble).

Anonymous wrote:For those of us in this category, do you feel poor?

I make under 70K, but I don't feel poor at all. I feel like an average American. I can't at all relate to people who max retirement and fund college funds yet call themselves poor.

They are being silly.

Anonymous wrote:I don't feel poor. I feel petty wealthy.

Yebo! Here is an global income calculator. Not perfect but it is something:
http://www.globalrichlist.com/

It appears that the world is filled with people who cannot afford to live in a Chevy Chase.

I don't feel poor. I feel petty wealthy.

For those of us in this category, do you feel poor?

I make under 70K, but I don't feel poor at all. I feel like an average American. I can't at all relate to people who max retirement and fund college funds yet call themselves poor.

We make $100k per year (60k for her and 40k for him)
We pay $1,870 in rent for a 2 br condo.
We live in Alexandria.
Our DC is 12 months old.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thing is, if you're coughing up $2700 a month on a salary of under $100k, how much ability do you really have to enjoy all the amenities nearby?

Well, I don't have a lot of money but plenty of ability. There are entire books and websites devoted to doing stuff with your family in Washington for free. Besides the obvious (Smithsonian) we have found ways to enjoy lots of things for free like the NSO at the Kennedy Center. This is a great area for families and our calendar is overstuffed.
(All that said, I'd like more money and am trying to get a better paying job)

But PP mentioned restaurants, yoga, and martial arts. I have never seen those offered for free!

That wasn't me but I agree; that kind of stuff gets pricey fast. I like Pho 75 which is about $25 for four of us but dinner at an average restaurant is tough to keep under $50.
If you're saying 'I like living in the DC area because of the great restaurants', then you're probably talking about the kind of place that's going to be over $100 for four, which blows most of the food budget for the whole week.

We have a connection at a yoga studio so my wife can drop in and do it cheaply but even that is just a few times a year - thankfully, she doesn't mind doing yoga at home.

There are lots of things that are simply off the list of things we do; martial arts classes, going skiing, "Ice" at National Harbor Place, the many great private schools in our area, soccer travel team, going to Nats/Caps/Wizards/Redskins games, etc.

Deciding whether to live here with financial constraints versus having those fun options while living in Charlotte, for instance, is not a tough choice. I'm staying here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thing is, if you're coughing up $2700 a month on a salary of under $100k, how much ability do you really have to enjoy all the amenities nearby?

Well, I don't have a lot of money but plenty of ability. There are entire books and websites devoted to doing stuff with your family in Washington for free. Besides the obvious (Smithsonian) we have found ways to enjoy lots of things for free like the NSO at the Kennedy Center. This is a great area for families and our calendar is overstuffed.
(All that said, I'd like more money and am trying to get a better paying job)

But PP mentioned restaurants, yoga, and martial arts. I have never seen those offered for free!

22:41 again. Prior housing situation before I bought was a roach-infested duplex with drug dealers downstairs. There didn't seem to be much in between. Not living there anymore is worth every dime to me, and I don't mind the stress for this reason.